Microsoft Surface skateboard pictures and eyes-on

Microsoft has a lot of faith in its Surface, and how tough it is. To prove the point, the company claims that you can drop it in 72 separate ways, and it won't break. This strength, apparently, comes from the construction process. It uses Gorilla Glass to keep the panel safe, which is pretty strong: something demonstrated on-stage when Panos Panay deliberately dropped one on the floor.

But the stunt we were most amused by was the fitting of skateboard wheels to the Surface - which was otherwise unmodified - to make a Surface skateboard for Windows president Steven Sinofsky to skate about on, wearing a massive helmet.

It might only be a stunt, but Microsoft is really proud of every aspect of the Surface. It's proud of how tough it is, and it was prepared to risk its entire reputation by dropping one on stage. Anyone who remembers Windows ME bluescreening at its launch, when a printer was plugged in, will know how stupid you can look if something goes wrong. So we have to respect Microsoft for putting its money where its mouth is.

There won't be a Surface skateboard going on sale later today when the MS store opens in Times Square, but Microsoft is hoping that people will be queuing up to own the new tablet when it goes on sale at midnight.

Starting off as a spotty youth who worked in Currys, he moved to the BBC (after getting a degree) where he was an editorial wrangler. A stint writing for Top Gear and co-presenting Sky One's Gadget Geeks completes the picture. Ian has since left Pocket-lint.